A little heat, a little fun
by bayb43
Summary: Max spots Asha and Logan and gets upset. Mix in a little Alec, a little heat, and a little fun...


Max blinked, Twice, for good measure, but the sight before her eyes was still the same. Logan was sitting at a table at Crash, Asha laughing and touching his arm. And he was laughing back to her…letting her touch him the way Max couldn't.

"Um, Maxie?" a voice said behind her. "Earth to Maaaaaxie…" Then Alec followed her rather venomous stare to the disgusting flirtations of Logan and Asha. Oh. Shit. Alec figured he'd get the brunt of Max's bad mood, but he couldn't seem to do the smart thing and get his ass out of their as quickly as possible before Max threatened to do many upsetting and possibly painful things to it. Though he wouldn't mind if she did some other things to him…Alec shook his head. This was Max he was thinking about here. And at the moment, a very…upset Max?

Max looked like she was either going to laugh or cry, and it seemed like the latter was winning out. She made a kind of barking sound, attempting to laugh but failing.

"I gotta blaze", she said sharply, soldier face suddenly in place, turning to leave.

"But Maxie, you just got here!" Alec whined. "You promised you'd dance with me!". At this, Max turned her head, forgetting for a minute to be upset, and look incredulously at Alec.

"Alec, I would never, ever, in all of your wildest dreams, promise to dance with you."

"Fine!" Alec retorted. "So maybe you didn't actually _promise _me, but Max, come on!" Max let out a laugh, a genuine laugh, and Alec's insides did a little jig. Well, he was glad she was not as upset anymore, but he was a little bit hurt too. "I didn't think dancing with me was _that _ridiculous. I am Manticore perfection, after all." He grinned.

"Alec, give me a break. When have you ever known me to dance?" Max raised an eyebrow. Alec stopped to think…_huh…Well, that time we went on that raid to pick up Mole's cigars she did do a sort of victory dance afterwards…heh, actually, that was kind of cute…_ "Hey, Max!" Alec groaned when he realized she was already halfway out the door. "Fine, I don't care anyways!" he yelled after her. Well, maybe just a little…

Max jumped on her Ninja and decided to take a ride. She drove without any real aim, though unsurprisingly she ended up at the Space Needle. She walked up the steps, thinking. She couldn't blame Logan for wanting to touch someone; she knew how it felt to need someone's touch. Or else, why would she consider actually dancing with Alec? Yeah, that was it…how ridiculous. Sure he was attractive, but they all were, they were made that way. Just forget about it. She'd just stop by Logan's after she got out of here and check in. It seemed like they hadn't talked in a while.

Life was just so confusing these days, and she was tired. Running TC and working at Jam Pony took up all the energy she had, and anything extra went to keeping Alec out of trouble. Heh, he couldn't do anything without getting into trouble…Max felt the corners of her mouth turn up just a little.

Alec figured he'd go check out the Space Needle, just in case Max really was upset. He knew it wasn't really his place, but well…with Max, sometimes he just couldn't think about why he did things. He stepped out onto the Needle, feeling the cool night breeze on his leather jacket. He was met by the sight of Max smiling to her self. Probably thinking about Logan, he figured. Man they made up quick. He was about to turn and go when Max looked up at him and her smile disappeared. His stomach gave a little squeeze. Figured the sight of him would make what little happiness she might be feeling evaporate. "Sorry, I was just…" he started, but she just raised her eyebrows.

"You gonna sit down? You're making me nervous." She raised an eyebrow. Oh. Not getting yelled at? This night was getting kind of weird.

"Um, yeah." Alec replied. Brilliant, just brilliant…exactly the right thing to say to make her fall head over heals in…um, to make her smile.

"What are you doing here?" Max asked tonelessly.

"Oh, I come bearing gifts!" he replied, suddenly smiling at her with that brilliantly charming smile of his. He pulled a box with two slices of chocolate cake out from behind his back. Now this was his territory. "You know, you really don't deserve this, giving that you didn't even dance with me, but…" He stopped when Max squealed. "I'm sorry, but Max, did you just…"

"Of course I didn't!" Max said, but she grabbed the box greedily from his hands. "Hey, one of those is mine!" Alec yelled.

Max just smiled.

"You so squealed just then."

"No I didn't"

"Did too!"

"Alec?"

"Yeah?"

"Just eat your damn cake."

"Fine…but you did!"

Max rode over to Logan's apartment in a significantly better mood, thanks to chocolate cake. She went up the stairs and walked into Logan's apartment without warning. Logan was sitting at his computer with Asha hanging over his shoulder. _Surprise, surprise. _

"Having fun?" Max asked, and the two humans jumped.

"Oh, hey, Max." Logan said. "Didn't hear you come in." Asha smiled, embarrassed.

"Obviously not." Max replied. Of course he wouldn't hear her if she didn't want him to. The three stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Asha and I were just working on…" Max looked at Logan, but she stopped listening once he started talking about some drug lord in some government position oppressing some people somewhere. Maybe she'd go hang out with Alec…at least he didn't spout off for hours about some damned mission or other. She felt a pang in her stomach. Huh, that was weird. Whatever. Forget about it.

"Well," she interrupted Logan, "I'm just gonna blaze then. Have fun with that." She gave a mock salute and was out the door before they had the chance to say bye.

Alec sat in his living room with a bottle of brandy, trying to decide whether a superhuman constitution for alcohol was in fact a very good or very bad thing. He found himself thinking about Max. Ok, no big surprise, he seemed to think about Max a lot. Especially recently. And she seemed to think about his ass a whole lot…that had to be a good sign, right? Alec smirked to himself. _Who could blame her? I like it, too! _However, the question was, did Max know she liked it? His smile drooped a little. Of course, she had that normal twit Logan to fawn over…he didn't understand the attraction, personally. He'd prefer a beautiful, strong bodied and able (not to mention disease and virus free) man to…well…that. That is, if he were Max. Which he wasn't. Which was what was causing his current conundrum. How to make Max his. Wait, what? He didn't want to make Max his. He shook his head a couple times to knock up the traitorous thoughts that seemed to be coming up so often lately. He took another gulp of the brandy. Maybe sleep was in order. At this point, he decided alcohol was useless and his constitution for it a very evil necessity. Sleep, however, would supply him the necessary oblivion.

"Well, what can you do?" he said to himself aloud. "To Maxie!" he took one last shot and headed into his room to change.

Max woke up sweating. Even for summer, it was damned hot in this stupid room. She rubbed her eyes, trying to rid them of the after images of a very sexual dream and a very naked Alec. Alec? No, that couldn't be right. It had to be Logan. Of course, what was she thinking? Logan. Yeah. So why couldn't she shake that image of Alec out of her head?

Max showered, a cold shower that helped her cool off after the sweltering summer heat that seemed to permeate even her usually cool bedroom. She threw on some clothes and figured she'd leave her hair wet. Maybe it would help cool her off.

Max was extremely hot again by the time she walked into Jam Pony and right into a very hard, very familiar looking body.

"Whoa, Maxie. I know I'm attractive, but try to keep the physical contact at a minimum at work. Wouldn't want you to get fired!" Alec's eyes glinted greenish-gold in the light. It looked strangely like if you'd shone a flashlight into a cat's eye. Max stared at him entranced. He looked so…animalistic.

"Um, Maxie? Your head is, uh, steaming…" Max snapped out of it.

"What?" she looked at him, her glance full of attitude. She touched her hair. "Oh, it's still wet from this morning…must be the heat. And don't call me Maxie." She walked toward her locker, shouting a "hey" to OC and Sketchy.

Alec watched her walk away. The steam almost made her look angelic…of course, her expression negated that one. Still, he had found it almost hard to not grab her when she'd walked into him. Like he wanted to grab her and run away. He brushed his hand through his hair. He really needed to get laid if he was getting that needy. Still, he couldn't seem to shake the feeling that it was only Max he wanted to kidnap, throw in bed, and ravish. He made a face. Where in the hell were these thoughts coming from?

"Hot run to Sector 9!" Normal yelled. "What am I paying you people for? Bip bip bip!" Alec jumped at the opportunity; he really needed to get some air. It was really getting hot in here.

Max walked into Crash and immediately saw OC in the corner with Alec and Sketchy on their way the pool table. No doubt Alec was ready to relieve Sketchy of another week's cash supply. She smirked in spite of herself.

"Hey boo," OC called over.

"Whatsup?" Max replied. Her eyes strayed to Alec, bending over the pool table in front of her to land another perfect shot. There was something so predatory about how he played…almost like he was ready to attack…and with such precision…

"Boo!" Max snapped out of it and looked at OC, who had a very strange look on her face. "Boo, you ok? You lookin' at your boy like he some kinda' steak."

"What?" Max raised an eyebrow, trying to ignore the strange feeling seeping over her. "That's ridiculous, Cindy."

"Whatever, Boo, you actin' some kinda strung up."

Alec felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He was completely and utterly aware of someone staring at him. When he turned around, however, Max was looking incredulously at Cindy and not at him. He missed a shot on purpose to give Sketchy a chance to play. He scanned the bar, thinking maybe it hadn't been Max, but didn't come up with any other candidates. When he looked back, a blond haired guy who looked like a beach bum was at the table talking to Max. Before Alec knew what he was doing, he was at the table next to Max with his hand around the blonde guy's neck.

"Back off," he growled.

"Dude, sorry, I didn't know she was taken, man let me go," the guy stuttered, and Alec snapped out of it, dropping the guy like he was a poisonous. He looked at Max, his eyes wide with shock. Max looked at him. "Uh, I didn't mean, I mean, I wasn't trying, I don't know what I was…I gotta go." Alec spun around and nearly ran for the door.

"Uh, Boo? What the hell was that about?" OC asked, but Max was already after Alec. She grabbed him by the hand and he stopped, his eyes glinting a little ferociously. She inhaled deeply and all she could smell was Alec, and that was good. She licked her lips. Alec let out a low growl and nuzzled the top of her head. OC stared in their direction.

"Oh, shit." OC ran over. "Boos, you gotta stop now! Alec, she's in heat!" But Alec just looked at Cindy like she wasn't speaking English, and grasped Max closer to him. She rubbed herself against his chest and purred. Alec growled in response. People around them were starting to stare. OC spun around, grabbed a pitcher of water, and splashed it on Alec's face. Alec blinked, temporarily snapping out of it. He quickly pushed Max away.

"Oh, shit. Cindy, get her away from me now!" Alec looked like he was about to panic. "I can't…I won't be able to stay away, bring her home, now!" He turned and ran out the door. Max blinked, Alec's smell no longer filling her brain with its scent.

"Let's go home." Was all she could say.   
"You got it, Boo." Cindy grabbed Max's hand and they were off.

With the fresh air in his lungs Alec was able to drive home without crashing. He ran upstairs and locked the door. He had never wanted anything as badly as he wanted to run the entire way to Max and clobber anything that got in his way. He had to contain himself. She'd kill him for it. Slaughter him. But _god _would it be worth it. He took out three bottles of Brandy and hoped to god it would be enough.

"OC, I'm fine. Really, I'm fine!" Max groaned from the couch.

"Boo, you literally just tried to jump your boy back there, I don't think you're fine." OC raised both eyebrows at Max. There was a knock at the door and then Sketchy walked in.

"You guys left so soon, what happened?" OC looked in horror at Sketchy, but Max didn't make a move from the couch.

"I felt a little sick is all, Sketch, no worries." Max explained as OC looked from Sketchy back to Max, and exhaled.

"Alright, man, I gotta admit, I'm kinda' glad you guys bailed, Alec was about to win 2 days salary." Sketchy sighed. "I gotta learn how he does it!" Alec's name brought a slideshow of tantalizing pictures through Max's mind, which she quickly shoved to the back. Sketchy talked for another few minutes, then bailed on account of an early morning.

"You alright now, Boo? Cause that was just weird back there." OC looked at Max.

"Maybe they didn't cure my heat all the way, so I just get little flashes now." Max replied, half knowing it was a lie and half hoping it was true. Otherwise, why would it just be Alec?

The explanation seemed to work alright for OC.

"Alright, Boo, well, I'm out. We gotta wake up tomorrow, if you're late again Normal will have your ass on a platter." She sashayed out of the room. Max headed to bed. It had to just be in flashes…yeah, that was it.

Alec fell asleep on the couch, and aside from a rather uncomfortable morning, he felt fine. No trace of last night's insanity lingered and he figured maybe he'd just made it up. He decided to get to work early, maybe make a few extra dollars before the rest got there. His charm tended to get him extra tips.

Max and OC got in to JP five minutes early. Surprisingly, the place was already busy. Max found herself looking for a certain blondish head and quietly cursed to herself. _Don't be ridiculous_! Normal, after staring at her and giving a short speech on the merits of being early, gave her a package. "Sector 7, missy, and bip bip! One early doesn't mean you're special. Hop to it!"

Max turned to go, and walked right into Alec. That seemed to happen a lot lately.

"Uh…" she managed, brilliantly articulate as usual. Alec looked a little shocked, and swallowed.

"Morning," he replied huskily, apparently possessing an equally impressive grasp of his rather large vocabulary.

"I'm just, uh, going to Sector 7…a package…" she mumbled, staring into his eyes.

"Right."

Before anyone had a chance to process what was happening, Alec had Max up against a wall, and was kissing her savagely. Max scraped her nails down Alec's back and he growled. Sketchy, OC, and the rest of Jam Pony watched with jaws dropped open.

"Whoa, dude," One guy said, "That's, uh, intense." Alec's head snapped away from Max, staring at the voice that intruded upon his moment.

"She's mine!" he growled at the shocked guy, who took a few steps back.

"Alec…" Max moaned, rubbing against him. "Take me home…" Alec needed no second request, and, glaring at any male who looked twice at Max, carried her outside, her legs wrapped around his back.

He set her down on top of him on the motorcyle and somehow they ended up at his apartment. They jumped off the bike and Alec slammed her against the wall, crushing her lips against his. She was his. Max moaned into his lips and he pressed himself against her.

"Mine," he groaned against her lips, nipping them.

"Yours," she breathed into his mouth. Alec carried her upstairs into his apartment and slammed the door.

_Three days later…_

Max inhaled deeply, pressing her body against the warm chest that was presented to her. She blinked. Warm chest? She looked up and was met with two very hazel eyes. Neither transgenic moved.

"Oh, god." Max managed to croak. The expression on Alec's face changed imperceptibly, but Max got a very clear impression that she had, as usual, said the wrong thing. "It's just…"

"Heat, I know." Alec pulled his arms back and Max suddenly felt very cold and alone. They both sat up.

"You know, I couldn't help it, I didn't mean to…"Alec started.

"I, um…thank you." Max mumbled. Alec blinked. _Thank you? _

"Uh, yeah. Um, my pleasure?" Alec tried for his usual smirk, but it seemed a little forced.

"Oh, what did I do!" Max cried, noticing for the first time the scratches, bites, and various injuries leniently arrayed all over Alec's body. She put her hands over her face, fell back into her pillow and groaned.

"Max…Max! I'm fine, really! This is, I mean, well…I wasn't exactly gentle with you either," he said with a slight grimace. Max looked down and saw a similar set of markings that spanned all the way down to the sheet and figured they'd go a whole lot farther down then that. She blushed, and then started a chuckle that soon turned into a full-blown laugh. Alec smiled, looking relieved. Normally he'd think leaving a girl covered in bruises would not be the best way to make her feel better, but he figured this wasn't a normal situation or a normal girl, and well…it seemed to have worked.

Max got up, taking the sheet with her to find her clothes and blushed when she realized she'd left Alec completely uncovered. She quickly found what was left of her clothes, none of which would ever be wearable again, held them up and looked at Alec. This time, it was Alec's turn to laugh.

"I couldn't…" he managed between laughter, "They wouldn't come off…so I just…" Max just made something between a smile and a grimace. This was a lot less awkward then she'd originally have though.

"You realize I can't just leave like this." She said with an eyebrow raised, motioning down to the sheet that covered her and attempting not to stare at Alec's very bare body and the relatively pleasant memories it brought up. Make that extremely pleasant.

"You can wear something of mine…just look in the closet." He replied, smiling. Something was very different. He had woken up expecting to be killed and well…he found himself very much alive. Max grabbed a black shirt and a pair of pants and went to the bathroom to change.

By the time she got out, Alec had gotten dressed and was in the kitchen trying to find food.

"Got anything to eat?" Max inquired. Alec turned his head to look at her.

"Only if you like stale cereal and brandy for breakfast."

"It's cool." Max replied. "OC always has something to eat, and she's been paging me constantly. I should probably just get back, she's probably worried." Max started for the door, not sure what the proper protocol was for this situation. She'd just slept with one of her best friends, after all, but although something did indeed seem different, it wasn't the awkward discomfort she would have expected. Alec walked her to the door.

"See you at JP?" he asked, figuring maybe she'd change her mind about the comfortable truce they seemed to be in and opt for the usual biting remarks.

"Yeah." Max answered. Before Alec knew what he was doing, he bent down and nuzzled Max on the head. Max responded in kind, and then stepped back in surprise and blushed.

"Uh, later." She mumbled and a second later was gone down the stairs. Alec was left standing in his doorway wondering what had possessed that last action. Heat was over, after all, wasn't it? He shrugged his shoulders…nothing made sense anymore. He shut the door to finish getting ready.

After OC's very frightening and then very curious inquiries, Max was finally walking into work. She looked around at all the people who seemed to be looking at her. Oh, shit. She'd forgotten this had started at JP. She blushed a little, and hurried to the back and the safety of her locker. She felt a sudden rush of relief as Alec walked in. Wait, how had she known he was here? She couldn't see the door. She turned and sure as night and day there he was. He looked up immediately right at her. She shrugged her shoulders. A couple guys hooted, but Alec just gave a somewhat embarrassed smile and ran a hand through his hair. Huh. Max would've thought he'd do something cocky like usual, but it seemed like at the moment all he cared about was Max. He approached her single-mindedly, and just like that morning, nuzzled her head, a gesture that, once again, she found herself returning naturally. They looked at each other.

Alec started, "I keep doing that." He looked confused.

"It feels…I mean," Max said under her breath, "I can't seem to control it."

Weird as it felt to be doing things without his mind's permission, he felt good all of the sudden knowing Max was here, safe and with him. She smiled slightly, something between a smirk and a grin and only a little self-conscious.

"Let's get to work people, bip bip!" Normal called out, and Max and Alec both shrugged and went to get packages.

The day went by without anymore strange events for the employees of Jam Pony. Except, perhaps, the incessant beeping of Max's beeper.

"What am I going to tell him?" Max looked, panicked, at OC.

"Tell him you was in heat, girl, what can he do?" OC raised an eyebrow.

"It's just…" Max started, grimacing.

"It's just you can't see yourself with Log anymore, mm? It's just your boy's the only person you can seem to think about?" OC interrupted.

"Yeah!" Max blushed. "I mean, it's not…it's just…"

"Boo, you gotta break it off. It ain't fair to either of 'em, not letting Logan know."

"I know, it's just what if Alec…I mean, what if he doesn't want to…" At that moment, Alec entered Crash and, predictably, headed towards Max, who had stopped her stuttering at the scent of him. He rubbed his nose into her hair, and she turned and rubbed her head into his chest. They both, yet again, jumped back. Cindy just laughed.

"Somehow, Boo, I'm not thinkin' that's gonna be a problem." They both blushed.

Alec was extremely confused. Ok, he could understand that feeling that made you want to cuddle after a good night in bed, but this was getting a little extreme. It was like he couldn't help it, and it didn't seem like Max could either. He was used to weirdness brought upon by his genetic cocktail, really he was. Super ninja skills, ok. Hyped up learning ability, no problem. But the feeling that any time Max was in his sight he had to nuzzle her was a bit more then even he could handle.

"I'm gonna' get a pitcher," Max said, breaking the silence, and walked towards the counter.

"So, Boo…?" OC raised both eyebrows at Alec, who was still watching Max as she walked away. "When's the engagement?" Alec snapped out of it.

"I…what?" he looked at her with wide eyes.

"I'm playin' Boo, don't worry. Seriously, though, what's goin' on?"

"Honestly, Cindy? I wish I knew." Alec looked resigned to his fate, though he could imagine far worse destinies then this one. "It's like whenever she's around, I can't help it…I just sort of _know _she's there. Like, a sixth sense…that is, I mean, since…well, since her heat. I think something happened." He finished seriously.

"Boo, that might just be the understatement of the century." OC replied as Max headed back with a new pitcher of beer. Alec moved to make room for her right next to him, even though the table was not exactly crowded. She sat down next to him so that their legs were touching. They both relaxed, comfortable to be near again. Cindy's eyes widened slightly in the direction of the door.

"Don't look now, Boo, but loverbo…uh, Logan's here." Cindy managed. Alec stiffened immediately, then looked confused. Max took on a look of panic, which Alec then felt like he would do anything to remove and pulled her closer to him so that her head rested in the crook of his arm. Logan spotted them from across the room and walked over, looking peeved and more than a little strung out.

"Max, what are you doing? Where have you been, I've been paging you for days!" Logan sputtered. Max looked at him, suddenly irritated at this man she thought she loved. He didn't even work right and she couldn't touch him even if he did! Not that she'd want to…Max made a little smirk. Alec relaxed the arm holding Max, content to know she didn't seem upset anymore. He switched his attention to Logan, his cocky attitude reappearing. Pissing off Logan was easily his territory, and even though he didn't understand exactly what was happening between he and Max, he knew it would irk Logan to no end.

"Log, buddy! Where ya been? We haven't seen you around!" he smiled, blindingly bright and more then a little mocking.

"Trying to get hold of you two!" Logan's voice cracked out.

"Sorry, man, Max and I have been a little…predisposed." He winked at Logan.

"That's ridic…" Logan started, than realized Max was still sitting looking quite comfortable in Alec's embrace. Quite comfortable, and quite silent.

"Max?" Logan looked at Max, his eyes not understanding the sight before him.

"I'm…well, I'm sorry Logan. I was in heat…and now…" Max started indignantly. Alec looked at Max expectantly. She looked back up at him, a question in her eyes. And now…what?

"And now, she's taken." Alec finished, still looking at Max and hoping she was, in fact, taken…by him. Max smiled up at him and the knots that had begun to twist painfully in his stomach came undone and turned into a warm, comfortable ball of mush. Alec nudged his nose to hers and inhaled. This was right.

Logan was staring at the two transgenics, disbelieving. Just a few days ago Max would have had Alec's head for even suggesting it.

"You…you mean you…mated?" Logan fumed. Max and Alec blinked at each other, surprised.

"So that's why I keep…" Alec started at the same time Max began, "Is that why I keep…?"

"Like…like, animals!" Logan puttered. "But Max, what about us…" He gave her a forlorn look.

"Somehow, Logan, " she glanced at him just a little condescendingly, then back at her mate, "I think this is permanent." She gave a timid smile to Alec, who gave her a kiss in return that was not timid at all.

"I hope so," he whispered.

The End


End file.
